devoish (95.67)

Healthcare Plan Comparison

8

The NY Times has put together an online comparison of the different healthcare plans proposed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

For those who wish to understand what is really being planned it is a nice interactive chart which you can use to compare different aspects of each plan including cost, how many are left uncovered, who and how each is paid for (upon reading this post the helpless will throw up their hands in discust and tell you that you will pay without reading the link first).

Notably, HR676, Medicare for All is not included in their analysis. It's proponents claim it will save $450 billion each year, not have a cost over ten years as the Trillion dollar cost of the Senate plan is estimated. Because the Times is so far right it will not include an analysis of HR676 I will supply some basic information. but there is more here. www.pnhp.org Please read their FAQ's before you ask me.

Cost. None. Actually a savings of $450 billion/year.

Who pays. The insurance industry. $450 bil is enough to cover everybody in the country and train the Doctors and Nurses to provide it.

Coverage. All US citizens, including the fat, the deadbeats, the lazy, the unemployed, the uneducated, the injured, the sick, the bigoted, the racist, the angry, the rightys, the leftys, real America, unreal America, the engineers, the bankers, the investment managers, the Doctors, the nurses, the carpenters, the mechanics, the plumbers, the students, the retired, the old, the weak, the strong, the healthy, the teachers, the police, the drillers, the welders, the assemblers, the bench testers, the truckers,the railroad, the prisoners, the wealthy, the deserving, the undeserving, the butchers, the farmers, the framers, the ranchers, the clerks, the pharmacists, the machinests, the politicians, the house cleaners, the surveyors, the roofers, the road crew, the masons, the lumberjacks, the lumberjanes, the marketers, the free marketeers, the socialists, the news crew, the newscaster, the maintainance crew, the architect, the shipbuilder, the secretary, the pilot, the realtor, the salesmen, the drunk , the sober, the carpet layer, the carpetbagger,... etc.

Deductible. None

Copay. None

Coverage. Medically neccessary. 100%

I understand the concern about a centralized Gov't power. We aren't close to that. We have a centralized Gov't weakling. National Medicare for All is my second choice. My first is a Public option to buy into Medicare combined with legislation that confirms a States right to self determine a single payer State program and the option of buying into medicare to create that program.

Many people are afraid that if Government runs healthcare access to the latest treatments will be denied. We take that chance anyway.

Millersville, PaHeathcare Status: Employer Insured

Dear Mr. Moore, I am a 56 year old woman with stage 4 mestatic breast cancer which has mestastisized to my bone in the hip area. I had 15 radiation treatments and afterward suffered a very painful fracture in the same area. In testing for the source of the pain, the Dr. found the persence of some more lesions of cancer below the bone.

Since March, 2007, I've been trying to enter into a Vaccine study for metastisized Breast cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, Maryland) where I am being treated. I have appealed to my Insurance Company and been turned down 3 times. They will not cover "experimental" studies/treatments. Although there are a few women who beat the odds, my doctor states I most likely have 2 to 5 yrs. to live. Dr. Emens at Johns Hopkins University Hospital has been conducting a highly respected vaccine trial. The vaccine is modeled after the very successful Pancreatic vaccine study in which 4 out of 8 patients have lived over 8 years -- which up to now, was unheard of. Her study is so highly regarded that it is even being heavily founded by the U.S. Dept of Defense.

Apparently I am being denied access because my policy contains a rider which rules out funding of any treatments which fall under the category of being a "study/experimental" Dr. Emens has spoken to my Insurance Company at least twice to recommend me as an ideal candidate for her study and in order to impress on them that they will not have to pay for anything that is actually study-related; i.e., the vaccines, testing, and treatments for any side effects that might occur. They have been told that they need only to cover standard treatments for the cancer; i.e., low dose chemotherapy.

Up till now, my Insurance Company is unwilling to discuss or acknowledge any of this, but just continues to comes back with, 'We do not cover treatments considered to be experimental.' Cancer, being the killer that it is, how can one expect to beat the odds without trying to take advantage of the newest treatments being available to them, especially one offered by Johns Hopkins? I have one chance left in trying to access this treatment, and this is to appeal.

+100. We don't have a centralized Gov-t weakling. When it comes to protecting HMOs, this "weakling" acts with astonishing vigor and energy. Instead, we have a centralized guard dog which makes sure that not a cent of profit can be carried past the mouths of business executives.

Some people want to keep their insurance because they are afraid of "Government Death Panels".

Things started to go badly for my dad about four years ago,” explains Donna Teer of Marietta, Ohio. “He discovered he had Malt lymphoma and then got a really bad case of pneumonia. After his pneumonia, he started loosing blood faster and the procedures to stop the bleeding weren't working.” Donna’s father, Roy Dickinson, went into an ammonia attack, caused by his failing liver.

“He received a procedure called TIPS to reduce the pressure in the liver, which didn't work. But dad never gave up fighting, because the doctors gave him hope. They were going to try and get a transplant approved and took his case to the insurance company.”

“The insurance company knew why he went to the hospital, but now said that the hospital's transplant department wasn't on the approved list and he would have to go to another hospital. Dad didn't have the time he needed to go to the second hospital and redo testing.”

Roy died less than a week after the insurance company denied him the transplant that could have saved his life.

“I think he didn't have the strength to fight anymore,” Teer reflected. “More importantly, we felt the insurance company knew he wouldn't make it either. He was a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a friend—not just a number—and the insurance company took that away from us. Dad, we love you and miss you terribly!”

Some people do not want Government financed healthcare because they are afraid "the Gov't will get between me and my Doctor".

Bay City, MiHeathcare Status: Employer Insured

I have had three spine operations. I was recently in a car accident. I have had three epidurals since the accident. Just went to the surgeon's office and he reccomends a spinal fusion at levels L4 to L5, and an ADR (artificial disc replacement)at L5 to S1. This would allow my spine to bend and move as if it were natural. Blue Cross of Michigan is refusing the operation and has yet to approve one in the state of Michigan period!

I am 32 years old and want to go back to a normal active life. As I am right now it hurts to stand for any period of time, if I sit down longer than 15 minutes my legs fall asleep. I cannot sleep on my stomach or on my sides. The pain is quite incredible at times. I am trying everything possible to get the operation I deserve instead of what they want to pay for or consider "safe and proven." The implant I need has been beta tested for 17 years in the states and has been used in Germany since 1981. The FDA deemed this operation SAFE but the HMOs feel they need "proven data/longterm data."

They go to sleep every night not hurting while I live in pain. Just wish I could have a good implant that could give me a decent life free from nerve and back pain in my back hips and legs.

I have been sitting too long I have to go. Thanks for letting me vent.

We have to keep bailing out bankers and GS execs so that they can get their bonuses and keep their ski chalets while people who work hard all their lives and save and invest can actually lose their homes and everything they have if they are stricken with a catastrophic illness. Problems are just down the road for those who have "made it" and allowed themselves to become actively or passively blind to the plights of others. Trouble's coming, folks. If something doesn't change it isn't a matter of "if." It is a matter of "when." It's only a matter of time, and will involve not thousands but millions of angry people that feel they have nothing to lose.

No doubt the French nobility viewed themselves as benevolent humanitarians and their peasantry as a contented mass of free and well fed citizens before reality was brought to their necks. Tragically the good nobles died along with the wicked.

If we don't fix it peacefully, it will fix itself later violently and many innocent people of all strata of society will suffer.

These are not my words but I wish I had come up with them. They are the words of a commenter following an article on Seeking Alpha. I am envious of his ability to verbalize exactly what I've been feeling. Others will someday use action instead of words if something isn't done. I doubt if they'll have a problem expressing themselves, though.